


The Weight of the Mantle

by bellaP



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Batfamily (DCU), Dick Grayson is Batman, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Wally West is Alive
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:27:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23798467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellaP/pseuds/bellaP
Summary: Wally is back, but Dick is Batman and now Tim and Wally are mad at him.
Relationships: Artemis Crock & Dick Grayson & Kaldur'ahm & Kon-El | Conner Kent & M'gann M'orzz & Wally West
Comments: 13
Kudos: 110





	1. Everything Should be Fine

Wally was back. The Justice League, the Team, everyone celebrated. They all thought he had been dead for so long, but he had just been trapped in the speedforce. 

“SURPRISE!!” Wally stepped back feigning surprise, Artemis holding his hand next to him as they stepped out of the zeta tube. 

“Guys! What?? This is insane. I had no idea.” Wally was dramatically throwing his arms about gesturing to everyone at the party. “You didn’t need to do all this!”

“Riiiight, not like you’ve been suggesting this for days.” Dick quipped, stepping towards his best friend. 

“Just like old times.” Wally smirked at his friend before M’gann yelled 

“Wally! I made you a cake.” Wally’s attention was then on the food and his friends for the rest of the night. 

Dick was standing out on the balcony of the mountain. He didn’t like stepping out of his best friend's party, but he didn’t know how much longer he could be in there. There was too much on his mind. 

“Escaping the party Grayson?” Artemis stepped out onto the balcony holding out a glass for Dick, which he accepted and held in his hand. 

“Just came out for a breather. I was about to head back in.” Dick turned around only to get a hand pressed to his chest pushing him back. 

“Oh no you don’t boy wonder. What’s on your mind?” 

Artemis had been beyond ecstatic when Wally had come back. Obviously it was a surprise for everyone, and she had been pretty overwhelmed since Wally had a lot to catch up on. But she hadn’t been this happy in a long time. While Wally was gone, Dick and Artemis had become closer, since they had seemed to know Wally the best, but after Wally died Dick had built up a wall blocking people out. Artemis always joked about bats and their secrets, but Dick hadn’t been himself lately, and even the arrival of their favorite speedster didn’t seem to change anything. 

Dick sighed and turned back to the balcony. He knew he couldn’t hide anything from Artemis. Not now at least. A comfortable silence fell over them while Dick thought. 

“He’s mad at me, you know.” Dick said turning towards Artemis who didn’t say anything for a moment. 

“Wally hasn’t even been back for more than a week, how could he possibly be mad at you?” 

“Because I’m Batman. I told him I didn’t- I never wanted to- if Bruce hadn’t.” Dick stopped himself, finding him unable to complete his thoughts. He hated that he was out here. He hated that Artemis was out here with him when she should be inside. With Wally. He should be inside with Wally. 

Dick had been Batman for two months now, upon Bruce’s death on a League mission. Dick had been left with Wayne enterprises, Tim, Damian, and the mantle of Batman. Dick told Tim he viewed him as his equal and that’s why he couldn’t be Robin. Damian needed Robin or he would go rogue. Tim hadn’t taken it well, and ended up taking the name Red Robin. Dick offered his help multiple times, and tried to explain to Tim that he was always welcome and needed but Tim wasn’t taking it. Bruce’s death had taken a toll on all of them, and Dick seemed to be losing his family left and right. The mantle of Batman, the very idea of Batman was tearing everything out of Dick, and causing him to give up things he never thought he would have to lose. 

Artemis put her hand on Dicks’. 

“Wally just wants what’s best for you. He always has. And he hates seeing you do something you don’t want to do. You did what you had to do Dick. You lost Bruce and you were left with an assassin for a kid. He’ll come around.” Dick let himself smile a little. 

Dick turned around to look back inside at the party watching Tim laughing with his friends and Wally talking it up with Superboy and M’gann. 

“They both will.” Artemis said grabbing Dick’s hand and leading him back inside. 

“Now come on, we don’t wanna miss all the fun.”

“Artie remember that time Tornado went rogue and we almost drowned like three nights in a row after that-”

“Don’t start with me Boy Wonder.” Dick smirked as Artemis dragged him back into the party, everything falling back into place like nothing had happened.


	2. Everything is Starting to not actually be Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick sends Tim's team on a recon mission (but when does it ever actually stay recon) and has a talk with Wally.

“Gamma squad will go do recon at the lab. You are not to engage, only get the intel needed and leave. Red Robin you’ll be running Gamma. Radio immediately if you run into any problems. Comms are always open. Batman out.” 

Something Tim noticed with Dick’s Batman was his openness and welcoming of the need for help. With Bruce, it seemed like nothing was supposed to go wrong and asking for help always seemed frowned upon. Dick knew the squad could handle themselves, but also knew that sometimes things got out of control and there was nothing wrong with asking for help.

“Alright let’s head out.” 

_______________

“Dick, I know you think you have to be Batman, but you don’t. You weren’t meant to be him, this isn’t you.” Wally was trying to go about this as calmly as he could. He knew Dick was going through a hard time and taking on a lot as Batman, but this needed to be said. 

“Gotham needs Batman, Wally. That city will fall without him. I’m not having this discussion.” 

“But why did it have to be you? Why do you have to take it up? I thought you were finally happy as Nightwing! You made a point of becoming your own hero and now look at you.” Wally was beginning to lose his temper. He had just come back and all he wanted was his best friend. 

“Wally, I’m not talking about this.” Dick tried walking away heading towards the Zeta Tubes. 

“Dick, if you would just listen to me for five minutes and-” 

“I said enough.” Dick growled out. Dick was losing his patience. He needed his best friends' support on this and he didn’t have it. 

“Wow. You sound just like him. Have you been practicing? What’s next? Sacrificing all your friends for the mission?” Wally seemed to regret what he said right away taking a step back almost stunned by the words coming out of his own mouth. 

Dick could punch him. And he’s pretty sure it would be justified. Wally was crossing lines he shouldn’t even be anywhere near. Dick took a step forward but before Dick could respond, his comm crackled in his ear.

“-obin to Watchtower. -a trap. Ambush and-” Dick could barely make out what Tim was saying, but he managed to get the message. 

“Tim. Do you read? Status report?” Wally’s features softened as he noticed the stress on Dick’s face. 

“Tim. Report.” 

Nothing came through except static and Dick cursed under his breath before going back to the Zeta Tube. 

“Wait Dick do you need help? I could-”

“You’ve done enough.” 

“Recognized Batman B-01.” 

Wally stood there by himself staring at the outline of where Dick had just been. He had to find Artemis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really know where I'm going with this, but we are just testing the waters here.


	3. Chapter 3

Dick wasn't planning on interfering with the team's mission. He knew how it felt every time the Justice League would come "save them" from a fight. But right now, Dick was getting no information from Tim's team and all he had was the team's last known coordinates. He put on his cowl and stepped into the Zeta tube. 

When he arrived to the teams location, he realized why none of them were wearing their comms. They were all unconscious. They all looked relatively unharmed, so he assumed they had been drugged. They were all tied up, and the ones with powers had inhibiter collars around their necks. 

Batman was up in the rafters observing the situation. He didn't want to make any rash decisions. If Tim's whole team had gotten captured, clearly these guys were good. Dick could see the team start to stir and Dick took a survey of the room. He drew three batarangs and threw them all at the security cameras, each easily hitting their mark. Then he dropped down from the ceiling landing in front of Red Robin. 

"Batman?" Tim slurred but the drugs seemed to be making their way out of his system. 

“It’s me.” Dick said before undoing Tim’s bond. 

“Report?” Dick moved to Cassie undoing her bonds and hacking into everyone’s inhibitor collars to release them. 

“They knew we were coming. They wanted us to be here. Gassed the room and then locked us up.”

“Yeah it was so not crash.” Bart said undoing the rest of his bonds. 

Just then a voice made it’s way over the loudspeaker. 

“Well, well, well. Seems like our security cameras went out. Looks like your savior came to get you. And perfect timing too. This building is going down in 3 minutes. Hahahah.” Dick didn’t even have time to try to understand what they were up against. All he knew is they needed to get out as fast as possible. 

All eyes turned to Dick. 

“Alright pay attention.” Dick tapped his arm and a hologram appeared with the schematics of the building they were in. 

“Don’t stop for anything.” Dick gave them all a stern look and everyone took off. 

They made it outside two minutes later. Dick looked around trying to get a body count for all the team. 

“Where’s Red Robin?” Bart said looking around. 

Dick didn’t even hesitate before turning and sprinting back into the building. He had about 60 seconds before this building blew up. He put his hand up to his comm. 

“Red Robin come in.” Dick got nothing but static again, but when he turned the corner he saw Tim. Only Tim was currently caught in a headlock with a gun against his temple. 

30 seconds left. 

“If I’m going down, so is he.” The man who had Tim clearly looked unstable. 

“Whoa whoa, shooting him isn’t gonna make a difference here if we all die in this explosion. We can still make it out.” Dick was trying to reason, but he really didn’t have time for it. If he pushed, Tim would get a bullet through his brain. But if Dick waited? They would all die in this explosion. He put his hand to his comm one more time. 

“Kid Flash I’m going to create a distraction and I need you to get Red Robin out of here.” Dick was trying to keep his voice low so the madman wouldn’t hear him. It was weird saying "Kid Flash" and not hearing Wally's voice back in his ear.

20 seconds. 

“And what about you boss?” Bart was nervous. 

“On my count.” Dick took a breath and a tentative step forward. The man moved to click the safety off his gun and readjust. This was just the window Dick needed. 

“Now.” 

10 seconds.

Dick threw his batarang at the man’s hand just as a flash of light signified Bart’s entry. Less than a second later Tim was gone and the man’s gun was on the floor. 

5 seconds. 

Bart set Tim down once they were a safe distance from the building with the rest of the team. 

Tim looked up at the building and took a step forward just as the windows blew out and the whole building went up in flames.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1 of I don't know how many. Let me know what you like and what you don't!


End file.
